A contract is not likely to be signed today between West Coast shippers and the union representing some 26,000 dockworkers, but negotiations are expected to continue running smoothly.

Both sides acknowledged that talks will likely continue past today’s deadline as they try to hammer out a three-year labor pact covering longshore workers, marine clerks and foremen working at 29 ports in California, Oregon and Washington.

“Everyone is continuing to work as hard and as quickly as possible to reach a contract,” said Steve Getzug, a spokesman for the Pacific Maritime Association, a consortium of 72 West Coast shipping companies.

“What’s important here is that the PMA and the union are committed to resolving the outstanding issues at the table,” he said. “We intend to keep the ports open and running smoothly.”

The current six-year contract between the PMA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union expires today.

The contract covers about 20,000 unionized workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. PMA and ILWU officials said they hope to avoid a repeat of the bitter 2002 labor dispute that eventually led to a 10-day lockout and shutdown of the ports that ended only when President Bush intervened.

The ILWU will not call for a strike authorization vote if a deal is not reached today, according to union spokesman Craig Merrilees.

“We intend to look for a peaceful resolution and a contract that is fair to everyone,” Merrilees said.

Negotiations began March 17 and a tentative agreement was reached earlier this month on health-care benefits. Unionized dockworkers currently have full medical coverage and a $1 co-pay for prescriptions. Differences remain on pensions, pay and job security, according to union officials.

About 100 ILWU members are expected to meet July 14 to review the terms of any proposed contract before sending it to the full membership for a final vote.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.